Apples for Health- Previous exercise helps stroke recovery

Previous exercise helps stroke recovery

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 20 (UPI) -- A person who has exercised regularly prior to the onset of a stroke appears to recover more quickly, U.S. researchers said.
Dr. James Meschia of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., said stroke patients who had previously exercised regularly before a stroke occurred were significantly more likely to have milder impairments and, thus, were better able to care for themselves, compared to patients who rarely exercised.
"It appears that exercise is very beneficial to people at risk of developing a stroke," Meschia said in a statement. "Many studies have shown that exercise can reduce the risk of developing a stroke in the first place, and this study suggests that if an active person does have a stroke, outcomes can be improved."
However, Meschia cautions that a larger study is needed to validate his findings, because the study depended on recall from 673 people who had a stroke.
Researchers looked at data collected by scientists at four centers -- Mayo Clinic's campuses in Jacksonville and in Rochester, Minn.; the University of Florida and the University of Virginia, participants in the Ischemic Stroke Genetics study. The study was designed to look at inherited risk factors for stroke.
The study is published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.